ABSTRACT

This chapter discusses the state capacity to manage disasters in Bangladesh. It explains that human, animals and other living creatures are subjected to face such calamities with varying degrees of intensity and damage to life and property which nevertheless remains a routine situation for the government. Nations facing such disasters may or may not be equipped to handle such emergency situation on their own. In such case institutional relief and assistance may be sought from other countries, international aid, agencies, Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the UN agencies, donors and NGOs. Enactment of laws to monitor movement of relief food, machinery, equipment affected people. The author compares the post-disaster relief and rebuilding in Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, USA, tsunami in Bali, Indonesia, and Tazreen fire disaster and Rana Plaza building collapse in Bangladesh. The chapter concludes that these being man-made disasters could have been prevented if only simple laws on building construction, safety regulations on fire management and escape route laws had been implemented.